A waking dream, orlando shortie.

[Radiohead]

A Waking Dream

A short story by Hannah Erikon (Radiohead)

Rating: PG15- for adult concepts

Length: 1620

Dedication: This is dedicated to Tom, who gave me the inspiration for this story, in the form of this quote:

"A man could spend his life searching for the perfect blossom and never find it, and it would not be a wasted life."

I'm pretty sure that's from "The Last Samurai" but I'm not sure, I havn't seen it.

Disclaimer: This is a war story, set in the future. You should be able to get this from the story, but basically these people's country has been invaded, they are all prisoners in their own land. So it's kind of a mix of the futuristic option and the war option. There's no battle or conflict in it though. It's based around Orlando, and he's not famous or anything. Hope you like it!

*
His soft cheek pressed against the harsh concrete floor as he slept. All that surrounded him was dark and forbidding, yet all he could see in his mind's eye was grace and beauty. A woman and her child sat amongst a sea of golden flowers, sunlight playing upon the pair, its happiness shining in their unfaltering smiles. The woman leant over, placing a soft kiss on the forhead of her daughter, before lifting her to her feet. once standing, the girl set off at a run, her youthful curiosity urging her to explore her surroundings. For a second, she dissappeared beneath the long grass. A moment later, she was back, holding in her hand a collection of the yellow flowers that she had torn from the earth. Beaming, she ran towards him, and handed him the bouquet. He smiled at her, drawing the flowers closer to his face to smell them. As he looked closer, er realised that amongst thhe yellow petals lay a blue orchid, rare and beautiful in the sea of clones. Smiling even wider, he looked up to thank his daugter. He was taken aback, however, by the fact that she was no longer smiling. Her joyful expression wwas replaced by a look of bitter resentment and hatred as she raised her hand to slap her father.

"Get up!" she yelled. "Wake up!"
*
Orlando's eyes snapped open, shocked by the sudden change of scenery. The dazzling sunlight of his dreams was replaced by painful darkness. He was trapped in the same black room that had swallowed him for three years. His prison, his cage, his punishment for his race. His punishment for the jealousy of others. Every part of his mutilated body ached with the pain his surroundings inflicted upon him. His stomach groaned in hunger, hunger he knew would not be satisfied. His shaved skull itched, and he could feel the hundreds of insects that crawled upon it, biting him, and sucking his blood. His once-handsome face was sunken and gaunt, the deep brown eyes that had once shone with happiness now showed nothing but bitter defiance, and anger thhat such a promising future had been stolen from him. He wrenched his arms up, and placed them beneath his chest, in order to force himself up from the cold concrete floor. Looking down, he stared momentarily at his arms. Long ago they had been brown and muscular, tinted by many hours hard work in the sun. Now they were pale and deathly thin, with the appearance of nothing more than pallid skin stretched over his bones.

He was half way to his feet when a sudden stinging pain snapped across his back.

"Hurry up!" yelled the guard that had invaded his cell, waking him from his only means of escape.

Snarling at the guard, Orlando summoned all of his strength and lifted himself from the floor as quickly as he could manage. He knew that the faster he cooperated, the fewer times he would have to endure the familiar bite of the guard's whip on his back.

"Get in line!" Shreaked the guard, whe never lowered his voice. Quickly, Orlando exited the tiny cell through the open door, and saw that his fellow prisoners were already standing at the ready by the doors of their own cells. He knew he was lucky to have slept at all the previous evening. The majority of his peers spent the long, cold, nights shivering and sobbing into their beds. Pining for lost lives and lost loves. Memories plaguing their thoughts, memories of the world that was stolen from each of them. Happiness, love, honour, pride, family- all cruelly snatched away without reason or warning when their country, their homes and their lives had been invaded.

"March!" Bellowed the guard. At once, the inmates broke into their familiar quick march, down the dank halls, out onto the concrete courtyard, to the other side of the camp, into the work bay. Long hours were spent there each day, working tirelessly without norishment, untill finally, they were marched back through the open yard and into their cells where they ravenously devoured their evening meals. Each day in the working bays was pure, agonising hell. Seconds seemed to last for hours as they were whipped and beaten, in order to make them work faster. They were treated like aliens, for that was all they were to their captors. Disgusting, worthless life forms, not worthy of the name human.

Each day was spent longing, hoping, praying for freedom, and each day brought nothing but crushing dissappointment. After a while, Orlando stopped wishing for freedom, and prayed for death, for even death would be better than this hell that had become his life.

For months, however, the man's mind had been planning, waiting for a moment of escape. Each evening, as darkness swallowed the prisoners, they were herded through the courtyard, towards their cells. That courtyard was surrounded by a steel gate, approximately two metres high and topped with barbed wire. Given the chance, the man was certain he would be able to scale the fence and make a break for freedom. The man did not know, as he lay down to sleep that evening, that his chance for freedom would come the very next day.

*
The day had passed like any other. Long, suffering and painful. His relief was greater than usual that evening, as he made his way back into line to march back to his cell. His raw back was stinging and sweating, the result of hours of torment from his guard on duty. As Orlando trudged, feet dragging, out of the working bay, he noticed that for the first time in his memory, only one guard was leading the group today, and she was armed with only a small baton, secured at the back of her belt. Glancing behind him, he could see no other guards in close proximity. Breathing quickly, Orlando quickly continued to scan the area, searching for long awaited signs of weakness.

"March!" Yelled the guard.

He continued to hyperventilate, knowing that the next few moments, the fleeting decisions he was about to make would change him forever. This may be his last chance, his only chance at freedom. He had to take it, no matter the risk. He had to run, now, and not care about the consiquences. If he died, he died. He had long since forgotten to care about what life meant to him. All that he had loved was gone, he had nothing left to give him any desire to linger in that place. He took a solemn, deep breath, and stepped out of line.

That first, crucial step went unnoticed. He noticed this as he glanced around, and sighed in almost bitter relief. Not hesitating, he turned towards the iron gate, and ran.

He felt strength within him that he had never felt before. Shining exhileration swept through his veins, pushing him, urging him, willing him to run faster. Freedom lay before him, so close. His senses clouded. He couldn't hear the shouts echoeing behind him. He could not hear his cellmates screaming, cheering him on. All he felt was wind rushing around him, and joy overcoming him. No matter what happened now, he had felt this last happiness. With a sudden thud he slammed into the gate. His fingers clawed against it and he wwrenched himself up, tearing the thick shirt from his back as he did so. With a swift movement, he flung it above him, over the barbed wire. Just a few more feet, and he would be free. He could run away from the place of death and disease he had been forced to call home for so long. With a last wrench, he heaved himself over the barbed wire and fell over the other side, crumpling into the ground.

Tears filled his eyes as he looked up, into the distance. He could see ahead of him, a sea of golden flowers, and a small girl beaming, running towards her father. Something small was clutched in her hand which she pressed into his as she reached him. Looking down, he saw the delicate blue orchid. Smiling, he looked up, into his daughter's eyes. Leaning forward, she made to whisper in his ear.

He felt nothing as the bullets hit his back, knocking the breath out of him and tearing his life away. He did not see the blood pouring from him. All he saw was his daughters face, and all he heard were her whispered words.

"Hope is a waking dream."


_________________________


I should also say that the last line, 'Hope is a waking dream' is a quote by Aristotle.

I wrote that for a shortie contest on EWAC, and i thought i might post it up here. Please tell me what you think

Love Hana

[Firestar]

Omg.

I had to wait about 15 minutes before I could write this comment because I was bloody crying!!!

Oh dear god, that was one of the saddest things I have ever read. I can't believe it. IT HURTS! IT ACTUALLY HURTS!

AHH! I have to stop dwelling on it otherwise I'll burst into tears again.

That was positively brilliant Riko. Just amazing. There are no words grand enough to describe that. I know you're talented, but you still never cease to shock me. Everything you write is incredible.

I desperately need to read something happy now.

God you're fantastic.

- Jessity

[Radiohead]

thankya so much jessity. Lol, im glad you liked it....i don't really like it much any more. I did when i was writing it, but now when i read it back i figure i could have done it a lot better. It was a pretty dumb idea entering it in the competition but hey! you never know if you don't try Have you read any of the others? I love them.

anyway....thanks so much for ur awesome reply, made me very happy

love Riko

[Firestar]

Argh! You should be extremely proud of that story. It's amazing. Wow. How many times have I said that!?

It's true though!!!

It was NOT a stupid idea entering it into the competition! IT'S A FREAKIN' FANTASTIC STORY!!!

*Collapses*.

I haven't read any of the others... Perhaps I will... *Sly grin*.

Yeah, really weird mood...

- Jessity

[ElvEnLEiAnnA]

One word. . . WOW! That was amazing. That was beautiful, sad but beautiful. I hope you write more!!!! I'd love to read more. I could read your stories all day! wow wow wow wow. I don't even know what to say. I'm speechless. Just wow.

Luv,
Erin